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Paul Defends His Authority

¹ Now ^(C1)I, Paul, myself ^(C2)plead with you by the ^(C3)gentleness and forbearance of Christ—I who ^(C4)am humble when face-to-face with you, but courageous toward you when absent!² But I beg that ^(C1)when I am present I need not act so courageously with the confidence that I consider to daringly use against ^(C2)some, who consider us as if we walked ^(C3)according to the flesh.³ For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war ^(C1)according to the flesh,⁴ for the ^(C1)weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but ^(F1)divinely powerful ^(C2)for the tearing down of strongholds,⁵ as we tear down speculations and every ^(C1)lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to the ^(C2)obedience of Christ,⁶ and are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever ^(C1)your obedience is fulfilled.

^7 (F1)(C1)You are looking at ^(F2)things as they are outwardly. ^(C2)If anyone is confident in himself that he is Christ's, let him consider this again within himself, that just as he is Christ's, ^(C3)so also are we.⁸ For even if ^(C1)I boast somewhat ^(F1)further about our ^(C2)authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for tearing you down, I will not be put to shame,^9 (F1)for I do not wish to seem as if I would terrify you by my letters.¹⁰ For they say, "His letters are weighty and strong, but his ^(F1)personal presence is ^(C1)weak and ^(C2)his ^(F2)words contemptible."¹¹ Let such a person consider this, that what we are in word by letters when absent, such persons we are also in deed when present.

¹² For we do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with ^(F1)some of those who ^(C1)commend themselves, but when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding.¹³ But we will not boast ^(C1)beyond our measure, but ^(F1)(C2)within the measure of the area of influence which God apportioned to us as a measure, to reach even as far as you.¹⁴ For we are not overextending ourselves, as if we did not reach you, (for ^(C1)we were the first to come even as far as you in the ^(C2)gospel of Christ),¹⁵ not boasting ^(C1)beyond our measure in ^(C2)other men's labors, but having the hope—that as ^(C3)your faith grows—to be ^(C4)enlarged even more by you ^(F1)within our area of influence,¹⁶ so as to ^(C1)proclaim the gospel even to ^(C2)the regions beyond you, and not to boast ^(F1)(C3)in what has been accomplished in the area of influence of another.¹⁷ But ^(C1)HE WHO BOASTS IS TO BOAST IN THE LORD.¹⁸ For it is not the one who ^(C1)commends himself that is approved, but the one ^(C2)whom the Lord commends.